Herbs & Botanicals

Carpesium (he shi)

What is carpesium? What is it used for?

Carpesium is a perennial plant of the compositae family. It is grown
from southern Europe to eastern Asia, particularly China, Japan and Korea.
Carpesium grows to about one meter in height, usually in land that has
most soil, with little or no shade. The seeds are used medicinally.

Carpesium seeds are small (3-4 millimeters in length) and yellow-brown
or dark brown in color, with ridges along the edges. The seeds have a
mild odor, and are bitter and pungent in flavor. Carpesium seeds are used
to kill intestinal parasites such as roundworms or pinworms, and to treat
abdominal pain caused by enteritis or malnutrition.

Other parts of the plant are used for different purposes. The entire
plant can be ground up and used as a laxative or to induce vomiting, while
carpesium juice (taken from the plant's stems) can treat sore throat
and insect bites.

How much carpesium should I take?

The standard dosage of carpesium is 3-10 grams, which should be prepared
in a decoction for oral administration. Some herbalists recommend it be
ground into a powder and combined with soup when being administered. It
is sometimes used in conjunction with betel nuts to enhance its anti-parisitic
effects.

What forms of carpesium are available?

In addition to raw or dried seeds, carpesium can be found in pill and
powder form.

What can happen if I take too much carpesium?
Are there any interactions I should be aware of? What precautions should
I take?

As of this writing, there are no known adverse effects or drug interactions
with carpesium. As always, make sure to consult with a qualified health
care practitioner before taking carpesium or any other herbal remedy or
dietary supplement.